Newtonian aberration refers to the phenomenon of the apparent displacement of a celestial object due to the finite speed of light and the velocity of the observer. The word "Newtonian" is pronounced /njuːˈtəʊniən/ (noo-TOH-nee-uhn) and refers to Sir Isaac Newton, the English physicist who discovered and explained the phenomenon. "Aberration" is pronounced /æbəˈreɪʃn/ (ab-uh-RAY-shun) and refers to deviation from the expected or normal path. Together, "Newtonian aberration" refers to the displacement of celestial objects as a result of this physical phenomenon.
Newtonian aberration refers to a phenomenon which occurs when light rays pass through a lens and produce non-uniform image distortions due to the physical limitations of the lens design itself. The term "Newtonian" is in reference to Sir Isaac Newton, who extensively studied and laid the foundations for understanding optics.
In this context, aberration refers to the deviation or departure from an ideal or expected image formation. Newtonian aberration specifically encompasses various optical imperfections, such as chromatic aberration, spherical aberration, and coma, that lead to distortions and inconsistencies in the final image produced.
Chromatic aberration refers to the phenomenon of different colors of light being refracted at different angles, resulting in the appearance of color fringes around objects. Spherical aberration occurs when light rays passing through different points on the lens converge at different focal points, leading to blurred and out-of-focus areas in the image. Coma is another type of aberration in which light rays from off-axis points fail to converge to a single point, causing distorted off-axis objects.
Understanding and mitigating Newtonian aberrations is crucial in designing and manufacturing high-quality lenses for applications such as photography, microscopy, and telescopes. Consequently, various techniques, such as lens correction algorithms and multi-element lens designs, have been developed to minimize these aberrations and improve image quality.
Chromatic a.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The term "Newtonian aberration" is derived from the combination of two elements: "Newtonian" and "aberration".
1. Newtonian: The word "Newtonian" refers to Sir Isaac Newton, the renowned English mathematician, physicist, and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of optics and many other scientific disciplines. Newton is especially known for his book "Opticks", published in 1704, where he laid the foundation for the understanding of light and color. He formulated the theory that light is made up of particles, known as "corpuscles", and explained various optical phenomena.
2. Aberration: "Aberration" generally refers to a deviation or departure from what is expected, normal, or correct. In optics, specifically, aberration describes the distortion or deviation from perfect image formation caused by optical systems.